Science Objectives for Everyone
The Neurospat experiment is improving our knowledge of how astronaut perception is altered in space, where gravity cannot help with orientation, and what areas of the brain are responsible. This could help in finding / developing countermeasures alleviating any disorientation experienced by astronauts especially during key activities such as spacewalks and docking/undocking of spacecraft.

Science Results for Everyone
These are your brain waves on microgravity. Electroencepholographic recordings were obtained from astronauts performing a visuo-attentional task while in space. Despite the nature of the task, which was meant to engage the visual system and attentional networks, brain activity was observed in bilateral primary motor areas and cerebellum. These results suggest that while the brain was performing a visuo-attentional task in space, it continued to integrate error signals from vestibular and motor systems to maintain body posture.

The following content was provided by L. Balazs, Guy Cheron, and is maintained in a database by the ISS Program Science Office.
Information provided courtesy of the Erasmus Experiment Archive.

Effect of Gravitational Context on EEG Dynamics: A Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration (Neurospat) is composed of two principal experimental tasks: Visual Orientation and Visuomotor Tracking, plus additional, standardized electroencephalogram (EEG) tasks performed as a means of assessing general effects of the space station environment on EEG signals.

Description

Neurospat uses physiological and behavioral measures to assess both the changes in general activation, prefrontal brain function and perceptual reorganization. Indices of electroencephalogram (EEG), event related brain potentials (ERP), reaction time and errors are measured in a spatial orientation task. The stimulus set also contains task irrelevant unique visual stimuli to allow assessment of electrophysiological correlates of novelty processing.

Effect of gravitational context on brain processing: A study of sensorimotor integration using event related EEG dynamics. In this project the purpose is to study brain activity that underlies cognitive processes involved in four different tasks that crewmembers may encounter on a daily basis:

visuomotor tracking

perception of self-orientation

3D navigation

discrimination of objects orientation

These tasks are designed to evoke adapted responses of the sensorimotorsystem in the presence or absence of gravity. For each paradigm the involvement of five cognitive processes will be examined: perception, attention, memorization, decision and action. The roles played by gravity on these neural processes will be analyzed by measuring evoked potentials and EEG dynamics methods during virtual reality stimulation.

Space Applications
Previous neuroscience research has highlighted various differences between perception on earth and in space. Without gravity to act as a stimulus, some of the most important neural sensors in the body cannot provide the assistance they would normally provide for orientation purposes. Astronauts therefore rely more heavily on visual perception for orientation. For this reason understanding what altered visual perception occurs in weightlessness, and what areas of the brain are responsible, is an important element in making sure that this does not present any issues for undertaking mission activities, especially key activities such as spacewalks and dockings/undockings. Results generated could form a key part of mission planning and therefore optimise the chances of achieving all mission goals and secure optimal mission success. It could also potentially feed into the design of equipment for use in orbit.

Earth Applications
Understanding how the neural processes of perception adapt to weightlessness in turn provides an insight into exactly how perception is altered by the presence of gravity. This research could therefore improve our fundamental knowledge of how the human central nervous system functions on earth. Furthermore drawing similarities between the disorientation experienced by astronauts when first adapting to weightlessness and certain medical conditions on earth where disorientation can be an important symptom, can provide important information of the areas of the brain responsible which could help with the treatment of such conditions. The development of these electrophysiological experimental protocols promises to provide a new tool for clinical testing of spatial cognition, altered in pathological conditions and in normal aging.

The Effect of Gravitational Context on EEG Dynamics: A Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration (Neurospat) investigation examined how microgravity impacted the neural and cognitive processes of visual attention. Astronauts observed a virtual environment displayed on a computer screen simulating one of two scenarios: one piloting a spaceship toward the ISS (i.e., a period of visuo-attentional engagement) or one piloting a spaceship away from the ISS (i.e., a period of visuo-motor engagement). Neurospat results showed that there is increased electromagnetic brain activity in regions associated with motor processing throughout the period of visuo-attentional engagement. This indicates that the regions typically involved in motor control are also responsive during passive visuo-attentional tasks, most likely as a result of continuous readjustment of body posture in microgravity.

Neurospat results highlight discrepancies between a behavioral task (i.e., visuo-attentional) and the expected brain areas involved (i.e., primary motor). These findings contribute to the scientific advancement of neurocognition in astronauts who correct error signals for postural stabilization while free floating on the ISS even though the task at hand does not require movement. These Neurospat results contribute to the understanding of brain function in microgravity, which is crucial for the neurological health of astronauts on long-duration spaceflights.